Elvis Presley may be the single most important figure in American 20th century popular music. Not necessarily the best, and certainly not the most consistent. But no one could argue with the fact that he was the musician most responsible for popularizing rock & roll on an international level. Viewed in cold sales figures, his impact was phenomenal. Dozens upon dozens of international smashes from the mid-'50s to the mid-'70s, as well as the steady sales of his catalog and reissues since his death in 1977, may make him the single highest-selling performer in history.

You only have to hear the soulful baritone voice of Bruce Mississippi Johnson to be able to take an educated guess at his musical heritage. Born in Mississippi, in America’s deep south, submerged in the music of his Grandfather's church from a young age, Bruce was brought up on a musical diet of Al Green, Jackie Wilson (his Cousin), Lou Rawls and Gil Scott-Heron, and that is pretty much the history you would expect when you hear his matchless voice. A 6ft4 ex-US Marine, Bruce is an imposing figure but it’s his incredibly textured voice that really stays with you.

Henry James "Red" Allen was a jazz trumpeter and vocalist whose style has been claimed to be the first to fully incorporate the innovations of Louis Armstrong. Allen's recordings received much favorable attention. His versatility is shown by his winning of Down Beat awards in both the traditional jazz and the modern jazz categories.